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What is a filling?
How can you prevent cavities?

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Today's Wonder of the Day was inspired by Jill from Eagan, MN. Jill Wonders, " How do cavities grow on your teeth? " Thanks for WONDERing with us, Jill!

Ice cream... snow cones... s'mores ...life is filled with all sorts of delicious sweet treats to tempt your taste buds! But you have to be careful not to eat too many sweets. Why? They could cause cavities!

Do you going to the dentist's office? It's okay. Many kids do. But the dentist's office doesn't have to be a place of fear! If you take care of your teeth , a trip to the dentist's office can be as harmless as a check-up and cleaning.

Sometimes, though, dentists find holes in our teeth. Dentists call these holes dental caries. Most people just call them cavities.

Cavities form when our teeth or break down. This happens when -a made up of germs that cause tooth -sticks to our teeth. If we don't brush away all the , the bacteria can create acids that eat away at the that covers our teeth.

If they're not fixed, cavities can grow bigger and deeper. If the cavity gets deep enough to reach the inside part of your tooth where the are, you will likely experience a bad toothache that can be extremely painful.

Sometimes dentists can see cavities when they examine your teeth. Cavities aren't always so easy to spot, though. Some cavities can only be seen if your dentist takes an x-ray of your mouth.

If you have a cavity, the dentist will usually fix it with a . First, the dentist has to remove the decayed part of your tooth. This is usually done with a special drill. Afterward, the dentist will fill in the hole with a special material that will make your tooth whole again.

Having a cavity filled can hurt a little, but dentists will usually give you an anesthetic to numb the pain. So don't worry about a little pain from having a cavity filled. Any pain will be minor compared to how much your tooth will hurt if it doesn't get fixed!

How can you prevent cavities? Be sure to brush your teeth at least twice a day. While you're at it, don't forget to brush your gums as well. It's also important to floss at least once a day and see a dentist regularly.

We think all our Wonder Friends have great smiles. Keep yours healthy by taking good care of your teeth. They're very important to your overall health!

CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.SL.1

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Today's Wonder of the Day was inspired by Jill from Eagan, MN. Jill Wonders, " How do cavities grow on your teeth? " Thanks for WONDERing with us, Jill! Ice cream... snow cones... s'mores ...life is filled with all sorts of delicious sweet treats to tempt your taste buds!

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Why do I have bad breath in the morning? 

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Why do I have bad breath in the morning? 

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What is halitosis?
Are all bacteria bad?

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What did ancient peoples use for toothpaste?
What keeps toothpaste from drying up in the tube?

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How often do you brush your ? We hope you brush twice a day like dentists . If you do, you probably go through a lot of toothpaste. Do you have a favorite kind or flavor of toothpaste?

Have you ever given any thought to what is in toothpaste? Obviously, toothpaste helps to clean your , but how does it do that? Is it ? It certainly doesn't like ! Even though you can toothpaste, you don't eat it, so it's not like food either. What is this stuff?

Toothpaste has actually come a long way. In days, toothpastes might have been made with eggshells, oyster shells, , bark, ashes, or even crushed bones! Yuck! Would you want to put any of those things in your mouth?

Fortunately for us, modern toothpastes have come a long way. While there are many of toothpastes, each with their own unique formula and set of ingredients, most toothpastes contain a similar basic set of ingredients:

Abrasives: Mild abrasives, such as calcium carbonate and dehydrated silica gels, help to remove stains and any unwanted matter sticking to the .

Humectants: In addition to the water in toothpaste, humectants, such as glycerol and propylene, are added to prevent water loss and to keep the toothpaste from drying out.

Flavorings: Sweeteners that do not promote tooth are added to provide .

Binders: Thickening agents, such as natural gums and synthetic cellulose, help to stabilize the toothpaste formula.

Detergents: Detergents, such as sodium lauryl sulfate, create foaming action.

In addition to these basic ingredients, specialty toothpastes can contain a variety of other special ingredients. For example, whitening toothpastes contain bleaching agents that help to make whiter. Other specialty toothpastes might feature ingredients that help with issues such as tartar build-up and tooth sensitivity.

So the next time you squeeze some toothpaste onto your toothbrush, think about all the ingredients that mix together to give you a pleasant and effective cleaning experience. And be thankful you're not still using broken eggshells!

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How often do you brush your ? We hope you brush twice a day like dentists . If you do, you probably go through a lot of toothpaste. Do you have a favorite kind or flavor of toothpaste? Have you ever given any thought to what is in toothpaste?

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How do teeth become stained?
How long does teeth whitening last?

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Today's Wonder of the Day was inspired by Katherine from Trussvile, AL. Katherine Wonders, " What makes your teeth whiter? " Thanks for WONDERing with us, Katherine!

If you're like most kids, you probably know all about how important it is to take care of your . Most of our Wonder Friends their after every meal, , and even get regular check-ups at the dentist.

Did you know, though, that your can still become discolored over time even if you and like you're supposed to? It's true.

When you eat and drink foods that are colored, those colors can gradually your . Dentists will tell you that, if a food can a white t-shirt, it can your over time. Foods and drinks form a film over the outer layer of your .

Dentists can remove this layer by scraping it off or using treatments. Brushing your can help remove some of it. If you use whitening toothpaste, the elements will help to remove even more of this layer.

Over time, however, the material that makes up this outer layer on your can into the outer layer of your , causing them to be less white than they could be. When this happens, you can't just scrape off that layer any more. Fortunately, these deeper stains aren't really harmful, but most people don't like how they make their look.

Don't worry, though! If this happens to you, like it happens to most people, you can do something about it. All you need to do is get your whitened. whitening is a procedure, not a procedure. That means it improves the looks of your , rather than making them healthier.

The process of whitening involves a fairly simple and straightforward reaction. Most tooth whiteners use one of two chemicals - carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide - to bleach your . When applied to your , these bleaching chemicals soak into the tooth and start an reaction that breaks down the materials that caused the discoloration.

Many people get their whitened by their dentist. You can whiten your at home, too, by using one of the many whitening products available at your local or grocery store.

Over-the-counter -whitening products tend to be less expensive than a trip to the dentist. Dentists, however, usually use more powerful chemicals, and you can often see more noticeable results quickly after a trip to the dentist.

If you're WONDERing whether whitening is , dental studies have shown that the process is both and effective. Side effects are possible, though. Two of the most common side effects are gum irritation and tooth sensitivity . These side effects tend to be mild and can be treated with over-the-counter products.

Once your are whitened, you might be much happier with your smile. Be warned, though. The whitening process doesn't last forever. As soon as you start eating foods that your , they will become discolored again over time. Most people experience for at least six months before they notice discoloration again.

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Today's Wonder of the Day was inspired by Katherine from Trussvile, AL. Katherine Wonders, " What makes your teeth whiter? " Thanks for WONDERing with us, Katherine! If you're like most kids, you probably know all about how important it is to take care of your .

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What is the makeup of a tooth?
How many permanent teeth do humans have?
What protects the inside parts of a tooth?

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"Did you brush your teeth?" How many times each week do you hear that question? Do you take good care of your teeth? It's important to make sure you take good care of your teeth. They make eating and speaking much easier, and you need them your whole life. So that's why you're probably constantly being asked about your brushing habits.

Have you ever stopped to think about what your teeth are made of? They're obviously hard. So what's inside of them? What is it that makes up these things that enable you to chew your way through apples, pizza crusts, and all sorts of other great foods?

Teeth are a lot more complicated than they appear on the outside. The part you can see - called the - is just the tip of the when it comes to your teeth. There are all sorts of things going on below the surface!

Unlike many of your other body parts, your teeth develop in stages. When you were really young, you began to develop your baby teeth (also called primary teeth). These 20 teeth help you chew when you're young, but they begin to fall out starting around age five.

As your baby teeth fall out, they're replaced by your teeth. When you finally lose all of your baby teeth around 12 or 13 years, there will be 28 teeth in their place. Eventually, four more teeth - called wisdom teeth - will grow to complete your full adult set of 32 teeth.

Although it looks like you can see a lot of your teeth, all you really see is the hard exterior known as the . The is covered with a super-hard, shiny called . The is like body armor for your teeth, protecting their inner parts from damage.

How hard is ? Very hard! In fact, the on your teeth is the hardest in your body! It's even harder than your bones.

Underneath the is another hard called . Most of the tooth is made up of . isn't quite as hard as , but it's still quite hard and does a good job of protecting the innermost part of the tooth, called the . is about as hard as your bones.

The soft is where the tooth's nerve endings can be found. It's also where the body's blood supply connects to the tooth to deliver necessary nutrients. If your teeth hurt from biting into something hot (or cold!) or a cavity, it's the nerve endings in the that sense the pain and send messages to your brain about what's going on with your teeth.

The reaches all the way underneath the gums to the root of the tooth. A tooth's roots are made up of a called , which anchors each tooth to the jawbone.

Now that you know a bit more about what makes up your teeth, you might want to know why they're so important. Not only do they help you chew your food, but they also help you talk. It's true! If you think about the words you speak, you'll realize that many sounds you make every day are formed by the way your teeth interact with your lips and tongue!

NGSS.LS1.A, CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.SL.1

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"Did you brush your teeth?" How many times each week do you hear that question? Do you take good care of your teeth? It's important to make sure you take good care of your teeth. They make eating and speaking much easier, and you need them your whole life.